Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam

Summary: The Oregon Scientific Camera ATC2K records clear videos given the
right conditions. It's also easy to use because it has three simple buttons and
an LCD display that gives clear feedback.

Please Note: This product has been discontinued and is no longer available for purchase. We suggest the ATC5K camera.

Don't use the Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam to record videos of
your kids or pets at home because you wont be as happy with the results (Thats
not the point of this camera). Mount this camera on your bike or helmet,
however, and your jaw will drop at the great videos you get out of it. If you
want a helmet camera that you can use to record your action-packed adventures,
the Oregon Scientific camera may be just the one you're looking for.

What's Inside the Package

Oregon Scientific guarantees the quality of their product by housing the camera
in a tough plastic case. It has a screw-on cover in the back that has two
O-rings to prevent moisture from forming inside. The best thing about the Oregon
Scientific package is that it includes an SD card, which is easier to buy from
stores than the microSD cards the VholdR Helmet Camera uses. You will have no
difficulty finding another SD card if the one included is not enough for you.
Here's a list of all the pack's contents:

2GB SD card

Two AA batteries

Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam

RCA cable for TV viewing

Owner's manual

USB 1.1 cable

Straps

Rubber spacers

Silicone grease

Handlebar mount

Details of the Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam

Everything you need in a simple, flexible, and high-quality helmet camera is in
the Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam. Here are the details of the
camera:

The Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam

Compared to other helmet cameras, like the VholdR Helmet Cam and the HERO Helmet
Cam, the Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam is cheaper and easier to
use. It only costs $119.00 directly from us here at The Point of View Cameras Store.
Aside from the video function, you can also use the Oregon Scientific camera to
take pictures. Other features of this excellent gadget include:

Simple kit for more action: The simplicity of the Oregon Scientific's kit puts
into question the features of the VholdR helmet camera. As mentioned, the SD
card that the Oregon camera uses is more readily available than VholdR's
microSD. You can buy the card at any department store, along with the AA
batteries. You may also pack extra batteries for the ride, unlike the
rechargeable battery of the VholdR, which must be connected to a recharging
station or a PC's USB port. In addition, the Oregon Scientific and the VholdR
are about the same size, which means the VholdR's microSD and rechargeable
battery were quite unnecessary.

Batteries of your choice: The Oregon Scientific camera gives you more freedom
in your choice of batteries. You can bring as many AA batteries as you want on
your journey and keep on shooting. According to the clearly written owner's
manual, you can also use lithium, alkaline, and NiCd rechargeable batteries to
operate the camera.

Different mounting options: Most helmet cameras on the market today are
designed to be used in bicycles and not motorcycles, so you have to improvise if
you want to attach the Oregon Scientific camera to your motorcycle's handlebar.
You still have a lot of mounting options though, because the camera has a flat
base with slots for two straps: one Velcro, and the other, rubber. Slide the
base off if you want to and use the handlebar clamp to secure the camera to your
bike. If the camera still shakes quite a bit, you can always wrap some duct tape
around it to reduce motion.

Three simple buttons: No one wants to fumble with a lot of
controls before recording an action-packed sequence. Fortunately, the Oregon
Scientific only has three simple buttons to give you the exact settings you need
to come up with great shots. Simply insert the batteries and the SD card in the
camera, press the on/off button, and hold it until you hear a beeping sound. The
LCD display should turn on, and you're good to go.

Oregon Scientific's LCD display is another advantage over VholdR's dim light,
which is the only signal that it's on. The LCD display is very useful since you
can't always hear the beep when you're wearing a helmet or ear plugs. Also,
while bike rides are quite silent, motorcycle rides are noisy, so you need more
than a beep to make sure that the gadget is running.

Customize the settings: Once the camera is on, press the
middle button and hold it to turn the video camera on or off. Other settings,
like video quality, can be accessed through the third button. The Oregon
Scientific offers three video quality options: 640x480 (high), 320x240 (medium),
and 160x120 (low). Experts recommend setting the video quality on high, because
you're bound to lose some quality when you edit your videos and post them on
flash player sites like YouTube.

The camera's menu allows you to delete the previous video or all videos in the
SD card's archive, another advantage over the VholdR helmet camera. What's more,
you can also turn the sound recording on or off, which isn't possible with the
VholdR.

Adjust the date and time immediately after turning on the camera so your videos
will be correctly archived. You can also set the video speed to either 15 frames
per second (FPS) or 30 FPS; and all of these controls can be accessed through
the simple menu.

Record an hour-long video: You can record an hour-long video at the highest
resolution using the camera's 2GB SD card. Oregon Scientific recommends
recording at 640x480 resolution with 30FPS to get the best video quality that's
fit for editing. According to the owner's manual, you may also use SD cards as
small as 8MB, although the length would be much shorter.

Easily edit videos and pictures: To create a new video file, simply press the
on/off button again. All your video files are saved in the 100COACH folder on
the SD card. The package comes with a television input and USB cable, so you can
view your pictures and videos on a TV or computer. If you have a card reader on
your computer, you may also just pull the SD card out of the camera and insert
it into the card reader. You can then edit the files in Adobe Photoshop, Premier
Elements, or Sony Vegas.

Waterproof camera: While the Oregon Scientific camera is not shockproof, it is
waterproof up to three meters. The package also contains some silicone grease to
further keep the O-rings waterproof. You may apply the grease on the camera's
sliding mounts since the plastic gets sticky when it's dry. Oregon Scientific
also offers an optional blanket that you can wrap around the unit for protection
against cold weather.

LCD display feedback: Unlike the VholdR, you know that the Oregon Scientific
camera is recording even while you're riding a bike because its LCD display
gives clear feedback. It displays the elapsed time that the video is recording,
so you know how much memory you've got left on the SD card.

Rotate the camera: It's easier to get the best angles on the road with the
Oregon Scientific camera than with other helmet cams because it rotates in its
base. There are tiny marks in the plastic casing of the camera with intervals of
90 degrees to give you a good idea of how level the angle is. Mounting the
camera securely on a bicycle or a motorcycle is still not that easy though; and
you'll inevitably have a shaky video as you drive down the road. It's best to
place helmet cameras on bikes rather than helmets because head movement produces
a very shaky video recording.

Testing the Oregon Scientific Camera

The cool thing about the Oregon Scientific camera is that under the right
conditions, it can produce clear videos comparable to any digicam. One way to
test its quality is by strapping it on to your motorbike along with a digicam.
Here's how you do this test.

1 Mount it on your motorcycle: Unpack the Oregon Scientific Camera from its
tough plastic pack. Slide in two AA batteries, and the 2GB SD card to record an
hour-long video. Use the straps that come with the camera and some duct tape to
attach it to the left handlebar of the motorcycle. Get a handy digicam, and
secure it to the other handlebar using duct tape again. Make sure that both
cameras are secure before you head out.

2 Drive with the camera: Ideally, the sun should be out, but there should be
enough cloud cover so that the sky is not too bright. In these conditions, the
Oregon Scientific camera should record the same as the digicam, giving you a
clear picture of the road. You might get poorer results however, if the sky is
too bright, because the camera might not be able to handle the high contrasts.

3 Compare it with a digicam: Load the videos in your computer, and play them
simultaneously to see if there's any difference. You'll be amazed to see how
differently the Oregon Scientific camera performs outdoors and how its video
quality is indistinguishable from that of the digicam. The video will likely be
shaky, but that's because it's difficult to firmly secure both cameras on the
motorcycle's handlebars. In fact, the video will be much more shaky if you
actually wear the Oregon Scientific camera on your helmet. Some experts say that
it's better to mount helmet cameras on your bike to get a clearer video.

The Verdict: Simple to Use, Good Video Quality

Compared to other helmet cameras in the market today, Oregon Scientific ATC2K
Waterproof Action Cam is easier to use and cheaper. Its video quality can also
be perfect given the right conditions, like lighting and how securely it's
mounted on the bike. The Oregon Scientific's waterproof housing is another
useful feature that will come in handy when it suddenly rains while you're
recording video on the road. Remember to improvise when mounting the camera on
the bike to reduce shaky movement.

Action-packed videos need not be recorded using complicated helmet cams. Get an
Oregon Scientific ATC2K Waterproof Action Cam now and get the videos you want in
an instant.

Please Note: This product has been discontinued and is no longer available for purchase. We suggest the ATC5K camera.